The use of balloons as a "favor" or at parties, celebrations, and other events is now extremely well known. Millions of balloons are so used each year. Generally such balloons are attached to either a stick and a cup or a ribbon so that they can be restrained by the user. Additionally, the balloons are typically filled with helium gas to provide a "lift", allowing them to stay aloft at the end of the tethered ribbon or stick. Of particular concern of many localities is assurances that such inflated balloons are restrained from free flight into electrical power lines and transformers as well as the atmosphere. Particular concern exists with respect to Mylar or metallic balloons, which pose a threat to electrical transmission wires, and which are not biodegradable. Many municipalities and other governmental agencies consider such balloons to pose at least some threat to the environment. Accordingly, many governmental agencies require that such metallic balloons be tethered to a weight, with the weight being sufficient to prevent the balloon from free flight into the atmosphere.
It has previously been known to employ a weight at the end of a ribbon tethered to a balloon, to restrain the balloon from free flight. Most often, there is a necessity for the retail clerk to cut a length of ribbon, attach one end of it to the weight, and to knot or otherwise attach the opposite end to the balloon. The operation is extremely time consuming, and occasionally ineffective. To hasten the operation by the retail clerk, some balloon weights have been provided with a pre-attached length of ribbon, such that the retail clerk need only attach the opposite end to the balloon. Again, such attachment is typically made by tieing and knotting. Moreover, in the prior art the actual securement and winding of the ribbon to the weight is quite labor intensive, with the operation not being conducive to automation.